“Pew-oo-oo!”
“Pew-oo-oo!”
“Pew-oo-oo!!”
The sound reverberated throughout the building. It was reminiscent of a performer going bonkers and smashing their instrument, or perhaps it was like the background music from a horror movie. It felt like a prank meant to startle people, or maybe even the dying wails of a building urging us to escape right now.
The sound spread from below to above and finally reached the floor where Lucas was located.
“Boom!”
The sound was short and sharp. Unlike the continuous explosions from other floors, this one was like a single, sharp pop that created an even stronger sense of incongruity.
Not to mention the chilling silence that followed.
It felt just like that brief moment right before a ghost or monster makes its appearance in a horror film.
People sensed it.
They knew something was about to happen.
And their instincts were spot on.
Shatter!
Flowers bloomed.
The ruined water pipe swelled as if about to burst, and water leaked from the cracks in the twisted, torn, and deformed pipe. The escaping water flowed and gushed, pooling on the floor only to freeze solid in the chilling air delivered through the pipe.
The solidified water spread out in a shape that resembled flowers, bursting forth and sharply rising, while some formed limp shapes that sparkled with a beautiful light.
The scene was like stepping into a flower garden.
Thus, flowers bloomed.
Using the water pipe as a stem, the magnificent ice flowers sported a dazzling display.
Starting from these ice flowers, the coldness flowed downwards.
This strange cold, something not ordinary, froze even the moisture in the air, showering tiny ice particles onto the ground, seeping into specific parts of it. This seeped cold, brimming with magic, pierced tiny holes into the concrete, creating gaps and cracks. And these cracks moved the water that had leaked earlier along with the spilled ice, changing shapes, freezing and melting in a vicious cycle, starting to twist and destroy the solid floor.
Crack.
Crunch.
Can you believe it?
That solid, thick concrete was cracking like the ice along a winter river?
Like driving a stake into a rock and pouring water over it, the tiny cracks became larger and larger as they wanted to splinter off!
And this was just the beginning.
The rebar densely packed within the concrete was also affected by the magic, twisting and creating gaps as it bent and writhed.
Lucas had laid it out so meticulously, making the process very slow and difficult… but still, it managed to create a hole large enough to trap a person.
This created a single hole that pierced through all tiers.
It became a trap that could instantly drop anyone foolish enough to step on it down to the first floor.
But being able to fall through that hole means it could also serve as a pathway from the first floor to the upper levels in one go!
“Quit rushing me! I’m coming-!!!”
Someone shouted from the floor below.
The voice was devoid of any civility, more like the roar of a beast than that of a human.
And right after that monstrous shout…
Boom!
Bang!
Bang!
Boom!
A colossal explosion erupted from the first floor, and alongside the sounds of something being smashed, someone began to rise through the hole.
No, saying they were “rising” might not be accurate.
It would be better to say they were “shot up.”
The being on the first floor used explosives as fuel, shooting upwards with the force of the blast.
Like a rocket!
This man shot up, deftly passing through the gap created by someone, crashing against various parts with his shoulders along the way. Skimming the edges of the hole, or forcibly widening it, he soared upward in an instant—
Boom!
He reached the floor where Lucas was, crashing his head against the ceiling.
Was it not accurately shot?
The man was stuck, with only his neck protruding from the ceiling, hanging there and swaying slightly. But soon he brought his hands to the ceiling, pushing against it as if trying to yank his head out—
Boom!
He smashed part of the ceiling and landed on the floor.
“Ha! Damn it! I used too many explosives!”
The man shouted as he landed.
The shout seemed not to hide his embarrassment, but rather was an expression of the endorphins and adrenaline coursing through him.
He was overflowing with exuberance, to say the least.
As he shouted, he twisted his neck back and forth, and with each twist, the regular cracking sound mingled with a screeching metal friction noise. Each time he moved his arms, hot air blasted from his joints, and occasionally, what could be steam or vapor spilled out wildly.
“…Robot? Cyborg?”
His appearance was more fitting for a movie than reality.
The warrior who had been patiently waiting his turn couldn’t help but murmur in awe at the sight of the man.
Did the warrior’s murmured words reach him?
The suddenly appearing man grinned at the warrior.
He then slightly raised his head, as if to show this is what a real man looks like, smiling as if to ask if he were envious of his macho demeanor.
But this proud moment was short-lived.
With a crackling noise, the walkie-talkie on his chest spat out a voice.
[ Tango Golfer. Tango Golfer. Do not delay the operation. ]
Hearing that, the man’s expression soured.
The pride that had been painted all over his face crumpled, and irritation etched itself deep as he glared down at the walkie-talkie. No, it wasn’t just irritation on his face; it dripped from the words that came out of his mouth.
“Fuck. Don’t rush me! Do you even get the hardships of the field?!”
But he wasn’t the only one feeling irritated. A rebuttal filled with annoyance shot back from beyond the walkie-talkie.
[ Tango Golfer. Tango Golfer. I am also currently involved in this scene. I hope you remember who drilled the hole. ]
“Fuck you! What’s so impressive about drilling a hole? Don’t act like a nerd who has never been with a woman! Bragging about drilling one pathetic hole makes you look really pathetic!”
[ …Tango Golfer. I’d appreciate it if you refrained from trash talk to your allies. Is that macho attitude something you always prattle on about? ]
“Che, what does a nerd know about being macho.”
The man and the voice on the walkie-talkie engaged in a near argument, despite the bunch of people in front of him.
[ …Enough already, just hurry the operation. ]
“Got it!”
But as the walkie-talkie persistently pressured him, the man lifted his head in annoyance and gazed at the people around him.
Lucas, along with the human rights organization and the warriors who had come to kill him.
“Hey, who here is Lucas?”
And then he posed the question.
It was a question that demanded a reaction from everyone present.
Naturally, even the human rights organization and the warriors who had come for Lucas flinched—
Lucas, who almost faced a gruesome fate surrounded by them, held onto a moment of hope.
But this hope did not last long.
Ironically, it was because of Lucas’s clever brain.
The cunning mind instinctively pieced together where this sudden man had come from, concluding that he was the one who had crashed a truck into the building and caused an explosion.
And reaching this conclusion, Lucas fell into despair once more.
It was hard to see a suddenly appearing lunatic, who had committed an act of terror, coming to find him for good intentions.
And this deduction was something the others could arrive at too.
The leader of the human rights organization cautiously inquired of the man.
“Bro. What brings you here?”
His tone was exceedingly polite.
There was no trace of malice, just an overwhelmingly friendly tone.
It might even be compared to the warm welcome given to a first-time visitor at a church.
Especially since he had briefly sensed hostility when facing the warrior earlier, only to confirm that their objectives differed, allowing for potential cooperation. The man before him might very well think about joining forces with the human rights organization and everyone present—excluding Lucas, of course—to achieve their aims.
“Uh, shit, don’t tell me you all gathered here because of Lucas?”
Upon hearing the leader of the human rights organization’s question, the man burst into laughter.
He observed the similarly dressed members of the human rights organization, the warrior who looked like a homeless person, and the only man who seemed to stand out in style in this place.
“What the hell… wait a minute. Was the pinball I crashed with the truck you guys’ doing?”
Suddenly, the man recalled something that crossed his mind and blurted it out without thinking—
Without any intent.
It was a pure, unguarded statement.
“…What do you mean by that?”
The pinball they crashed with the truck.
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere among the human rights organization completely shifted.
It was as if a kindly smiling person had suddenly transformed into a serial killer.
[ Tango Golfer. I would suggest you watch your mouth. ]
“Fuck off! I’ll handle my own things, so shut up!”
Even the voice beyond the walkie-talkie seemed to sense the danger and called for restraint…
But the man paid no mind, charging ahead like an uncontrollable wild boar.
“Alright, fuck it, Lucas. You’re coming with me. I have information you need to know.”
What’s more, he went on to say something that turned everyone in the vicinity into enemies!
Naturally, hearing those words, the warrior drew his sword…
“You son of a snake!!!”
The human rights organization was enraged.
